Regular Problems Which Editors See In Copy

Copy editors attending the CDNA Writing, Reporting, Editing and Coaching seminar in Victoria in the early '90s identified the following regular problems they see in copy in response to a pre-seminar questionnaire. 

• Flat leads with tired phrases and sometimes double leads as though the writer couldn't make up his or her mind which to use. 
• Weak transitions where one point doesn't lead into the next. 
• A story that leaves the reader hanging because key questions aren't answered. This tends to happen in ongoing stories where an issue has been around for a long time. 
• Leads that have no spark, that basically invite the reader to turn the page quickly. Sometimes reporters seem to write by rote and neglect to put thought into leads. 
• Failure to explain technical terms in a way the average reader can understand. 
• Lengthy, disorganized copy with too many repeated facts (ie., quotes from numerous sources all saying the same thing). 
• Lack of context for readers. 
• Dull stories written too long. Too much reliance on officials and not enough emphasis on what the story means to t he ordinary person. 
• Jargon. 
• Stories that are too promotional, or deal with a specific product. Reporters should focus instead on the broader trend rather than the specific product. 
• Overwriting and inability to know just what the story is. Too often, 15-inch stories could be just as easily 5 inches. There is no opportunity to sit down with a reporter to explain what was wrong with the copy, or why it was too long. 
• Too many stories are geared to the subjects of the story, not the reader.